The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-07-21
FREDERIcKsBURG.
A Wisconsin OOmrade Tells the Story OF the
Crossing.

A Wisconsin COmrade Tells the Story or the
Crossing.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: in a recent
issue Of The NATIONAL TRIBUNE was a com
municatiOn from my dear old friend, w. III.
Church, Co. G, % Wis, concerning Fredericks
burg j was intimately acquainted with HIM
lie cared for me Ia the hospital as teuderly as
Q sister, but j never knew until saw his arti-
Gle that he was a somnambulist-aye, SOM
nambuist Of mOnstrOus magnitude. Let me
specify: His memory and description OF that
forward movement are very clear, full and ac-
Curate He says:
There was no rain that night, as remember g.
but the sky was somewhat cioady. and II was
naturally quite dark IN the heavy timber in
which we lay. Nearly all night the pontoon-train
toners were going 10 lay bridges.
His narrative thus far is wildly clear and
correct; but the poor hoy seems TO he utterly
unconscious Of The fact that he was reused mp
at about 10 O'Clock and required 10 act as an
escort 10 that pOntOon train all the rest of the
night And what night he had of il, too,
without waking mp. Ar he says, il was only
about three miles aud although il may not have
raincd that night, il had Tained all the after
noon, aud the Spring mud had not dried up,
and il was just awiully" muddy. The whole
brigade was brought into requistiOn on this
occasion. The design was TO rush the pontoons
Through 10 the river under cover Of darkness,
90 as surprise the rebels in the morning.
But though we started soon after dark, and
worked hard all night we did not reach the
river until daylight. The mud was terrible,
and with six mules 10 each pontoon they were
often stuck fast in the mud. Strict silence
was required Of everybody lest the rebels
should hear us and the NJ. DIS mule drivers)
were not allowed 10 swear at their mules at
all, but the black snakes were applied vEOT-
ously, and their constant cracking was liable TO
be miscOnstrued by the rebels into a lively
Ekirmish on the pickctlino. il was daylight
by the time we reached the river but a heavy
fog still hid us from view. Our brigade was
then ordered 20 the rear for little rest and
sleep and the Second Brigade was ordered up
to shove the pOutoons into the river and go
over and capture the nights on the opposite
shore.
BY this time the fog began to rise SO that
the J0hnnies could see under IL and catch on %
what we were doing. They very much OBJ
jected to the proceeding, End emphasized theiI
objection by vigorous luslade ON the Second
Brigade, aud drove them away from the pom
tOOns. A battery WAS brought up and opened
on the rebels, who in turn opened q battery on
our battery, and we poor fellows, who had
marched All day and all night too. lay and
slept Ike logs right under aud between those
batteries during all that artillery duel IN the
end tho rebel battery took second prize and
lmbered 10 the rear
The Second Brigade was now hOnOrcd with
second invitation 10 take a boat ride, but
they declined on account of the hornets nests
they had discovered on the opposite bank. 81
the First Brigade was called up and lis
tinctly remember 10 have slept SO soundly il
spite Of all that artillery practice that il re-
qured 81 brisk application Of Capt. Nat kolinsi
boot 10 arouse me. We dOuhle-Cuicked [,
the rivcr-the 9Th Wis. first and tie I'd next
jumped into the pontOons and over we wen
with calling fire poured into as by the rebel
from their rife pts. As we neared the oppO
site shore the rebels came out OF their holes II
the ground and sllcdaddled.
The rest OF the brigade followed as and w
took possession Of the nights aud held then
until the pontOon bridge was laid. as Conrad
Church states, when the balance Of the division
came over. Isn't il little bit singular tia
COmrade Church should sleep through tina
whole mud march AZ night and know moth
ing Of it1 Perhaps, however, he only left
out Tor the sake OF breyity, so we will f0rgiv
him. Give IN your hand, Tuck y shake J.
L. Il. REED, Go. H. I'd Wis, Madison, Wis.